University to benefit from title on and off field

Football success will also help academic side

Alabama Coach Nick Saban greets fans during the celebration in honor of the Crimson Tide's BCS National Championship win. The celebration took place in Bryant-Denny Stadium Saturday.

Dusty Compton / Tuscaloosa News

By Adam JonesStaff Writer

Published: Monday, January 18, 2010 at 3:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Sunday, January 17, 2010 at 11:01 p.m.

TUSCALOOSA | With a college football national championship in the books, the University of Alabama should gain momentum heading into next year.

And not just the Crimson Tide football team, but the thriving academic institution next to Bryant-Denny Stadium. The university has rolled like a locomotive, gaining steam most of this decade whether the football team wins or loses.

Still, a national championship can only further help donations and applications, both of which UA has done a good job of getting recently.

“It just gives us a lot of good feelings. You will see applications, car tags, annual giving, college licensing and car tags go up,” said Pam Parker, vice president for advancement. “There's no doubt it benefits us.”

A study by economists at Virginia Tech University and University of Pennsylvania a year ago found that from 1983 to 2002, applications to universities that won a football championship increased between 7 percent and 8 percent.

UA has experienced faster growth than that under the tenure of President Robert Witt, even after disappointing football seasons. Witt's aggressive academic recruitment plan raised enrollment from about 20,000 in fall 2002 to more than 28,000 students this past fall.

Even after first-year coach Mike Shula led the Crimson Tide to a 4-9 season in 2003, applications for the following year jumped nearly 10 percent. Nick Saban's first season coaching the football team in 2007 ended with a 7-6 record, but applications to the university shot up 29 percent.

Applications for this academic year, which followed a surprising 12-2 record on the gridiron, were up 5 percent to about 19,500 applications as Witt's enrollment goal was closer to reality. Witt has said UA will continue to grow, but not at the rate as in his first seven years at president.

“Clearly, we have been successful in attracting students for many reasons in recent years, and we expect continued success in our recruiting efforts this year and beyond,” said Mary Spiegel, executive director of undergraduate admission. “That said, it is very exciting to potential students to have the opportunity to go to a school with top-level athletics.”

Enrollment increased after the other two Southeastern Conference schools, Louisiana State University and the University of Florida, won football national championships this decade.

At UA, enrollment increased 1 percent in fall 1993, the year after the Crimson Tide won the 1992 national championship. The year of growth was sandwiched between two years of decline.

“The sheer fact that you gain that national attention does help in terms of students becoming aware of the institution, and it gives you the opportunity, if you have their attention, to help them understand what the university has to offer academically,” said Roger Sayers, president of UA from 1988 to 1996.

With recruiters spread out across the Southeast and major cities in other states, UA is already striking a hot iron and getting exposure, Parker said.

The university had already rolled out a new marketing campaign, “Touching Lives,” to take advantage of a broader television contract through the SEC. Commercials were shown in movie theaters around Alabama, Florida and select theaters in California through the holidays.

The university was in the midst of a capital campaign in 1992, and Sayers said the football team's national championship helped drum up donations to exceed the goal.

“It does tend to give alumni and friends a warm fuzzy feeling about the university, and that's always good,” Sayers said.

Parker, who heads UA fundraising, said annual donations to the university and National Alumni Association will likely increase, but there probably won't be any large donations to the academic side of campus resulting from the championship.

“Development is about relationships, and this can only help the relationship,” she said. “It will be interesting to see how it does affect us because it's really too early to tell.”

Parker expects purchases of the university state license plate to increase.

In Florida, UF's license plate became the best-selling license plate in 2006 in a crowded field of Florida specialty plates. That year UF won a NCAA men's basketball championship, but also redesigned the plate. UF hasn't relinquished the top spot since, according to Florida state data.

<p>TUSCALOOSA | With a college football national championship in the books, the University of Alabama should gain momentum heading into next year.</p><p>And not just the Crimson Tide football team, but the thriving academic institution next to Bryant-Denny Stadium. The university has rolled like a locomotive, gaining steam most of this decade whether the football team wins or loses.</p><p>Still, a national championship can only further help donations and applications, both of which UA has done a good job of getting recently.</p><p>“It just gives us a lot of good feelings. You will see applications, car tags, annual giving, college licensing and car tags go up,” said Pam Parker, vice president for advancement. “There's no doubt it benefits us.”</p><p>A study by economists at Virginia Tech University and University of Pennsylvania a year ago found that from 1983 to 2002, applications to universities that won a football championship increased between 7 percent and 8 percent.</p><p>UA has experienced faster growth than that under the tenure of President Robert Witt, even after disappointing football seasons. Witt's aggressive academic recruitment plan raised enrollment from about 20,000 in fall 2002 to more than 28,000 students this past fall.</p><p>Even after first-year coach Mike Shula led the Crimson Tide to a 4-9 season in 2003, applications for the following year jumped nearly 10 percent. Nick Saban's first season coaching the football team in 2007 ended with a 7-6 record, but applications to the university shot up 29 percent.</p><p>Applications for this academic year, which followed a surprising 12-2 record on the gridiron, were up 5 percent to about 19,500 applications as Witt's enrollment goal was closer to reality. Witt has said UA will continue to grow, but not at the rate as in his first seven years at president.</p><p>“Clearly, we have been successful in attracting students for many reasons in recent years, and we expect continued success in our recruiting efforts this year and beyond,” said Mary Spiegel, executive director of undergraduate admission. “That said, it is very exciting to potential students to have the opportunity to go to a school with top-level athletics.”</p><p>Enrollment increased after the other two Southeastern Conference schools, Louisiana State University and the University of Florida, won football national championships this decade.</p><p>At UA, enrollment increased 1 percent in fall 1993, the year after the Crimson Tide won the 1992 national championship. The year of growth was sandwiched between two years of decline.</p><p>“The sheer fact that you gain that national attention does help in terms of students becoming aware of the institution, and it gives you the opportunity, if you have their attention, to help them understand what the university has to offer academically,” said Roger Sayers, president of UA from 1988 to 1996.</p><p>With recruiters spread out across the Southeast and major cities in other states, UA is already striking a hot iron and getting exposure, Parker said.</p><p>The university had already rolled out a new marketing campaign, “Touching Lives,” to take advantage of a broader television contract through the SEC. Commercials were shown in movie theaters around Alabama, Florida and select theaters in California through the holidays.</p><p>“This (national championship) couldn't have come at a better time,” Parker said.</p><p>The university was in the midst of a capital campaign in 1992, and Sayers said the football team's national championship helped drum up donations to exceed the goal.</p><p>“It does tend to give alumni and friends a warm fuzzy feeling about the university, and that's always good,” Sayers said.</p><p>Parker, who heads UA fundraising, said annual donations to the university and National Alumni Association will likely increase, but there probably won't be any large donations to the academic side of campus resulting from the championship.</p><p>“Development is about relationships, and this can only help the relationship,” she said. “It will be interesting to see how it does affect us because it's really too early to tell.”</p><p>Parker expects purchases of the university state license plate to increase.</p><p>In Florida, UF's license plate became the best-selling license plate in 2006 in a crowded field of Florida specialty plates. That year UF won a NCAA men's basketball championship, but also redesigned the plate. UF hasn't relinquished the top spot since, according to Florida state data.</p><p><i>Reach Adam Jones at adam.jones@tuscaloosanews.com or 205-722-0230.</i></p>